Mon May 12 09:57:55 UTC 2025: ## Russia Rejects Ceasefire Proposal, Zelenskyy Challenges Putin to Face-to-Face Talks
**Lviv, Ukraine – May 12, 2025** – Amidst the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia has rejected a proposed 30-day ceasefire put forth by the U.S. and European Union, opting instead for direct talks with Ukraine. This follows a night of intense Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, involving over 100 Shahed and decoy drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has escalated the diplomatic pressure by directly challenging Russian President Vladimir Putin to a face-to-face meeting in Turkey this week to discuss peace. This challenge comes after Russia’s rejection of the proposed ceasefire, which required an unconditional halt to hostilities before any negotiations. While Russia offered direct talks on May 8th, Ukraine and its European allies insisted on a prior ceasefire, a condition Moscow effectively rejected.
Adding to the complexity, U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to accept Russia’s offer of direct talks. The ongoing conflict, which has lasted over three years, has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties on both sides. Russia’s invasion has occupied approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. The deep-seated animosity between the two leaders, according to President Trump, has significantly hampered peace efforts. Zelenskyy and Putin have only met once previously, in 2019. Zelenskyy previously attempted to arrange a meeting with Putin in the early months of the war, but these attempts were unsuccessful.
First Piper 